NFU Scotland has received three nominations for election to the two posts
of Vice President. The nominations are from Combinable Crops Committee Chairman
David Houghton, current Vice President Bob Howat and Milk Committee Vice Chairman
Jim McLaren.

The details of the candidates are as follows:

David Houghton: Aged 54 and married with a son and daughter,
David farms 750 acres near Invergordon in Ross-shire. The main
crop is spring malting barley for the distilling industry, which
is marketed through Highland Grain Ltd. of which he is a former
Chairman. Other crops include wheat (again for distilling), oilseed
rape and turnips which are fed to wintering sheep. He served
two terms as President of the old Easter Ross Area of NFUS. He
has been a member of several committees, most recently the Combinable
Crops Committee and he is now coming to the end of a five-year
period as its chairman.

Bob Howat: Aged 46 and married with four daughters, Bob Howat
owns a farm in the Borders and runs a tenanted unit in Fife in
partnership with his wife. The hill farm in the Borders and the
mixed unit in Fife have a total of 1400 breeding ewes and 50
suckler cows, with all progeny finished on farm. A former Chairman
of NFU Scotland's Selkirk Branch and a member of the Borders
Area Committee, Bob was also Chairman of the Less Favoured Areas
Committee. Bob is currently NFUS Vice President, a position he
has held since February 2003.

Tel: 01334 653306 Mobile: 07802 592383 Email: bob.howat@nfus.org.uk

Jim McLaren: Age 38 and married with two sons, two daughters
and two step daughters, Jim is a mixed arable and dairy farmer,
with 130 Holstein Friesian cows. All young stock are kept for
replacements or finished on farm. His arable unit, growing winter
wheat, winter oilseed rape, spring barley and potatoes, extends
to 1000 acres over four units in Perthshire. The business is
a mix of full tenancy, limited partnership, owner occupier and
contract farming. His potato enterprise is ending this year,
but the land will be let out to keep potatoes in his crop rotation
and to utilise the cold storage capacity on the farms. Jim has
served on the Milk Committee since 1999, holding the position
of chairman in 2003. He was also chairman of Crieff Branch and
is currently vice chairman of the Milk Committee.

Tel: 01764 652564 Mobile: 07768 632 634 E-mail: jimdargill@aol.com

In order for all NFUS members to have the chance to hear from
the candidates for election, NFUS will be hosting a series of
hustings meetings around Scotland. The details are as follows:

The elections to the two posts of Vice President, which carry
a one-year term of office, will take place at the St Andrews
Bay Hotel on Friday 3 March 2006 at the meeting of the NFUS Council.
The elections will follow the NFUS AGM and Annual Dinner, held
on the previous day.

NFUS President John Kinnaird is currently serving his second
and final two-year term. The position will be subject to election
in 2007.